Machine for applying stamps.



A; TIALA.

MACHINE FOB APPLYING STAMPS.

APPLICATION Hum AUG. 31,1901.

906,004. Patented Dec. 190g.

ATTORNEY lam/1% ma 1441.

, UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANTHONY F I ALA, OF BROOKLYN, NEW.YORK.

MACHINE FOR APPLYING STAMPS.

Applicationfiled August 31, 1907. Serial No. 390,871.

Specification of Letters Patent.

" Patented Dec. a, 1908 To all whom it mil/y concern:

Be it known that I, ANTHONY FIALA', a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in Kings county, New Yoi k State, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Applying Stamps,zof which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to a machine for applying stamps. By stamps, I mean postage stamps or other gummed pasters which it is desirable to moisten and then apply to a suitable envelop or card.

The object of the machine furnish a means whereby quickly and easily applied.

The machine is preferably constructed so as to furnish a safe receptacle to hold the stamps in such a manner as to prevent stealprimarily is to stamps may be In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a sectional view showing certain parts diagrammatically and in elevation. Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken in a plane at right angles to the section shown in Fig. 1, also showing certain partsin elevation. 1 is a case of any suitable form, and preferably provided with a suitable door or window (not shown) by which access may be had to the interior. This door or window may be provided with any suitable lock.

2 is a reel or carrier of any suitable construction, upon which the stamps are carried. In the form shown, and as preferred, the stamps are printed in a continuous serice or strip, one end of which is indicated at 3. Each winding of the stamps is separated by a strip of oiled paper for example, one end of which is indicated at 4.

55 are guide-rolls, one or more of which should beprovided. V

6 is a friction drum rotatably mounted upon a bearin 7. This drum is arranged to ress towar the ide-rolls 5-5 and the en of the strip ot stamps 3 is arranged between said drum 6 and guide-rolls 5, as seen in Fig. 1, while the oiled paper 4 passes between tie guide-rolls 5 and the reel or carrier 2. The oiled paper prevents the successive layers of stamps from becoming adhered to one another.

block downwardly through the 10 is a spring supported operating member carrying a pad 11.

.12 is a spring pressed pawl arranged to engage the ratchet 9. By pressin .down the lever 10, the drum 6 is rotated in the forwardly direction and definite distance determined by the spacing of the ratchet teeth on themember 9.

14 is a cast-off device arranged to free the pawl 12 at such a time as said drum 6 has been rotated forwardly the desired distance. This cast-ofi device 14 may be readily made adjustable to vary the feed of the drum. Obviously, as the drum 6 rotates ahead it will move the strip of stamps 3 forwardly. These stamps travel down through a guide chute in the part 15 and into a space between the lower end of a presser block 16 and spring pressed clips 17-18. When a single stamp has been inserted into its proper position underneath the presser block 16, the lever 10 will engage the head 16 of said presser block and a further downward movement of the lever 10 will. move the presser passage 19 and toward the table 20, upon whlch the envelop or card may be placed. During the downward excursion of the presser block 16 the rack 21 will, through the medium of a pinion 22, swing the damping pad23 up into position in front of the gummed side of the stamp carried by the plunger 16, and so as to moisten the same. The downward movement of the rack 21 is effected through v a stud 24 on the plunger bearing against a spring 25 carried by and to one side of the arm supporting the rack 21. The stud 24 will remain in engagement with the sprin 25 until suflicient pressure has been exerte upon the pad 23 by block 16 to thoroughly moisten the stamp carried thereby, the spring 25 at the same time yielding to the slight movement of said block 16 and the stud 24 during such interval, whereupon the spring 25 will slip past stud 24 and a spring 26 wil restore the rack to the position shown in Fig. 1. As the plunger 16 is permitted to rise, the stud 24 will again 'clear the sprin 25 and assume the position shown in Fi 1' ready for a subsequent operation, the stu 24 being provided with'a retractable spring latch 24 to permit the stud to pass by the spring 25 during the upward movement of said stud. The spring 25 may be very light because its work 1s correspondingly light.

clips 17 and 1.8 respectively, the same being arranged to engage at the proper time stops 33-34 respectively, which cast off the clips 17-18 just before the stamp is to be aplied to the envelop or card.

If desired, the edges of the clips 17 and 18 may be toothed or perforated to permit moisture to be applied throughout substantially the entire surface of the stamp, thus insuring a more perfect application of the stamp to the envelop or card.

After the stamps have been mounted on the carrier 2 and the case 1 closed and locked,

there is .no way of removing the same unless by again opening the case, which requires a proper key, or by passing them out through the aperture 19. This, of course, cannot be done unless the stamps are first moistened. This fact will make the robbery of the machine practically prohibitedbecause of the difficulties that would be encountered in removing the stamps in this way. The stamps may be perforated at given distances or may be sheared, it being merely necessary to cause one -edge of the plunger 16 to be -so adjusted with reference to the face of the block 15 that it will operate as a cutter to shear off each successive stamp passing through the guide way in said block15.

What I claim is:

1. In an apparatus for applyingstamps and the like, means for carrying a seriesof successively connected stamps, a presser block, means for conducting one of the stamps of the series to said presser block, means for detachably holding said stamp on said presser block, a moistening pad, means actuated by the presser block to operate the pad and moisten one side of the stamp, and means independent of the presser block automatically returning the pad to its normal postition.

block, a moistenlng pad, means actuated by' the presser block to operate thepad and moisten one side of the stamp, and inde pendent means automatically returning the V pad to its normal position.

3. In a machine for applying stamps, a

series of successively connected stamps, a

presser block, means for successively feeding said'stamps to said presser block, and'means cooperating with said presser block to de tachably hold the stamp thereon, a moistening pad to moisten one side of the stamp during the downward movement of the presser block, and independent means to automatically return the pad to its normal position upon a further downward movement of said presser block. I

4. In a machine for applying stamps, a series of successively connected stamps, a presser block, means for successively feeding said stamps to said presser block, means cooperating with said presser block to detachably hold the stamp thereon, a cutter for separating said stamps, a moistening pad, means actuated by the presser block to operate the pad to moisten one side of the stamp, and means independent of the presser block to automatically return the pad to its normal position, and a cutter for separating said stamps.

5. In a machine for applying stamps, a series of successively connected stamps, a presser block, means for successively feeding said stamps to said presser block, means cooperating with said presser block to detachably. hold the stamp thereon, a moistening pad, means actuated by the presser block to operate the pad to moisten one side of the stamp, means independent of the presser block to automatically return the pad to its normal position, a cutter for separating said stamps, and a guide for. holding the free end of the series of connected stamps after one has been severed.

6. In a machine for applying stamps, a reel or carrier, a series 0 successively connected stamps wound thereon,aspacer of oiled paper or like material separating each. Wind'- ing, and means for'separatin the end stamp from the strip, a presser bloc. a moistening pad, means actuated by a partial downward movement of the presser block to op; crate the 'pad to moisten one side of the.

stamp and independent means to automatically return the pad to its normal position upon the further downward movement. of said presser block.

ANTHONY FIALA. Witnesses: R. C. MITCHELL,

LANenoN Moore. 

